Euonymus plant named ‘Lankveld03’

ABSTRACT

A new cultivar of  Euonymus florida , ‘Lankveld03’, characterized by its foliage that has new growth that is white in color and gradually becoming dark green with age, its an upright plant habit, and its dense basal branching.

Botanical classification: Euonymus japonicus.

Variety denomination: ‘Lankveld03’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Euonymusjaponicus and will be referred to hereafter by its cultivar name,‘Lankveld03’. ‘Lankveld03’ is a new cultivar of evergreen shrub grownfor use as an ornamental landscape plant.

The Inventor discovered the new cultivar in summer of 2004 as anaturally occurring branch mutation of Euonymus ‘Fransien’ (notpatented) that was growing in a container at his nursery in Elsendorp,The Netherlands.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar was first accomplished by theInventor using softwood stem cuttings in summer of 2006 in Elsendorp,The Netherlands. The characteristics of this cultivar have beendetermined to be stable and are reproduced true to type in successivegenerations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and represent thecharacteristics of the new cultivar as grown outdoors in a trial plot inElsendorp, The Netherlands. These attributes in combination distinguish‘Lankveld03’ as a unique cultivar of Euonymus.

-   -   1. ‘Lankveld03’ exhibits foliage that has new growth that is        white in color and gradually becomes dark green with age.    -   2. ‘Lankveld03’ exhibits an upright plant habit.    -   3. ‘Lankveld03’ exhibits dense basal branching.

The parent, ‘Fransien’, differs from ‘Lankveld03’ in having new growththat is variegated with green centers and white margins. ‘Lankveld03’can be most closely compared to other cultivars that have new growthwith unique coloration. ‘Heespierrolino’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 13,852)and ‘Hees Pierrolino’ (not patented) differ from ‘Lankveld03’ in havingwhite new growth that becomes speckled with green and white. ‘Happiness’(U.S. Plant Pat. No. 21,823) differs from ‘Lankveld03’ in having newgrowth that is yellow-green in color. ‘Butterscotch’ (not patented)differs from ‘Lankveld03’ in having new growth that is lemon yellow incolor.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceand distinct characteristics of 2 year-old plants of the new cultivar asgrown outdoors in 2-liter containers in full sun in Elsendorp, TheNetherlands.

The photograph in FIG. 1 provides an overall view of the growth habit of‘Lankveld03’.

The photograph in FIG. 2 provides a close-up view of the foliage of‘Lankveld03’.

The colors in the photograph may differ slightly from the color valuescited in the detailed botanical description, which accurately describethe colors of the new Euonymus.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The following is a detailed description of 2 year-old plants of the newcultivar as grown outdoors in 2-liter containers in full sun inElsendorp, The Netherlands. The phenotype of the new cultivar may varywith variations in environmental, climatic, and cultural conditions, asit has not been tested under all possible environmental conditions. Thecolor determination is in accordance with The 2007 R.H.S. Colour Chartof The Royal Horticultural Society, London, England, except wheregeneral color terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   General description:    -   -   Blooming period.—Flowering has not been observed on the new            cultivar.        -   Plant type.—Perennial evergreen shrub.        -   Plant habit.—Upright, dense basal branching.        -   Plant size.—Reaches about 27.2 cm in height and 21.8 cm in            width and up to 50 cm in height and 35 cm in width in the            landscape.        -   Hardiness.—At least hardy to U.S.D.A. Zone 7.        -   Environmental stress.—Highly tolerant to wind and rain.        -   Diseases and pests.—Not more susceptible to pests and            diseases than other Euonymus japonicus varieties.        -   Root description.—Fibrous, moderately dense.        -   Growth rate.—Slow to moderate.-   Stem description:    -   -   Shape.—Round.        -   Stem color.—New growth; between 137A and N137A, mature wood;            199D.        -   Stem size.—An average of 19.7 cm in length and 2.5 mm in            diameter.        -   Stem surface.—Smooth and glossy.        -   Stem aspect.—Upright.        -   Stem strength.—Strong.        -   Branching.—Basal branching, an average of 20 lateral            branches.-   Foliage description:    -   -   Leaf shape.—Ovate to elliptic.        -   Leaf division.—Simple.        -   Leaf base.—Short attenuate.        -   Leaf apex.—Obtuse.        -   Leaf fragrance.—None.        -   Leaf venation.—Pinnate, color of upper and lower surfaces;            138A.        -   Leaf margins.—Crenate.        -   Leaf arrangement.—Opposite.        -   Leaf attachment.—Petiolate.        -   Leaf surface.—Upper surface; smooth and very glossy, lower            surface; smooth and moderately glossy.        -   Leaf internode length.—An average of 1.1 cm.        -   Leaf size.—An average of 3.0 cm in length and 1.4 cm in            width.        -   Leaf quantity.—An average of 36 per stem.        -   Leaf color.—Immature upper surface; 155A, immature lower            surface; between 155A and 157D, mature and fall upper            surface; between N137A and 147A, mature and fall lower            surface; between 137A and 147B.        -   Petioles.—About 3 mm in length and 1 mm in width, color;            138A.        -   Stipules.—None.-   Inflorescence/fruit description: No flowers or fruit have been    observed to date.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Euonymus plant named ‘Lankveld03’ as herein illustrated and described. 